Skin is the body's main protective barrier against environmental insults. Significant wounds, caused by bums, physical trauma, surgery, and underlying pathologies, affect more than 35 million people annually in the United States. These full-thickness wounds lead to impaired tissue regeneration and loss of barrier function.
Scaffolds have been explored as a therapeutic method for regenerating skin at the wound site. Scaffolds provide a three-dimensional support through which cells can migrate, adhere, and regenerate a functional new tissue. Current scaffolds, however, are plagued by inadequate biocompatibility and biodegradability, mechanical and structural mismatch with the native tissue, and susceptibility to infection.